| Goal of the ElecX | ||
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| Goal of the ElecX | ||
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The ElecX is a fast prototyping platform for electronic circuitries
In prototyping, the same circuitries have to be breadboarded again and again.
(Breadboarding = soldering electronic components manually onto a prototyping universal PCB and wire them up).
What follows here takes longer than breadboarding. However using this strategy makes the breadboards reusable and even consider them to convert into etched PCB's (Printed Circuit Board), so at the end it will be faster. Therefore think about this packaging standard, when breadboarding, even for some small things!
The ElecX standard allows to start with a simple breadboard as if not knowing this standard. But when knowing this standard the breadboard will fit into a mechanical box next to nicely modules.
Some modern components are just available in SMD (Surface Mount Device) and therefore it is a significant effort to solder them. It would be nice to have a etched PCB for that. Working with small adapter PCB is the way out when breadboarding, but it is quite a hack and fragile. Therefore solder them to a ElecX card and use them in different applications is very desirable.
The result of the prototype should have some aesthetic aspects and also have a certain robustness.
The aim of the ElecX is to have modules that can be reused to increase efficient prototyping. If volume goes up or some of the PCB's satisfy, they could be replaced by etched PCB's.
Don't stick to ElecX, if once a configuration satisfies, it could be easily repacked in to a smaller mechanical enclosure.
The first version of Elex was based on 32, 64, 96 pin DIN 41612 connectors and Eurocard PCB size, this works well for certain applications as Arduino controls a 3D printer but for many boards a 96 pin connector is an overkill. Therefore Elecx supports also other connectors and PCB sizes.
The standard from Grove is based on 4 pin connectors supporting I2C busses. A larger Grove Project requires a case. Elecx can help for this.
Raspberry has defined a standard using a 40 pin connector. Raspberry supports CM and HAT's to get something mechanical stable. But then special cases are required, Elecx can serve a case for this.
There are also combination or all kinds of PCB's where Elecx can help.
An other goal is to share this specification with other people to create an open hardware platform. Once reached a certain quantity, the tool cost can be shared as well as the volume discount.
As usual when money gets involved, some thoughts should be made before:
The intellectual property stays at the developer and the usage of it remains free. The design can be copied, distributed and modified, however the original developer has to be indicated. New and modified designs shall also be free. When hardware (etched, PCB, mechanical parts and full function devices) is sold, it shall be allowed to resell it.
In simple words it should be something as Open Hardware and GPL for hardware.
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Assemblies |
